::: Sword of the Stranger :::

I have got mixed feelings on this one. Were the characters good? Yes, especially our two main ones. Was the action good? Yes, it was some of the best sword fighting that I have seen. Was the story good? Ya... about that. This anime definitely has its bright spots and is worth the watch, but don't come in expecting a killer plot with tons of twists and historical significance because that is not what this movie is all about.

Our story starts off with a young boy, his dog, and a monk fleeing a burning village. The boy and dog are separated from the monk and they must go on without him. They get by decently on their own until one fateful day. They encounter a wandering samurai who seeks shelter in their little run down house. The boy reluctantly lets him stay. Shortly after, the house is attacked by a bunch of warriors who are in pursuit of the boy for some unknown reason. Of course, the wandering samurai is forced into action and the story really kicks off from there. We go on an adventure to discover why the boy is being pursued and learn about the past of this mysterious wandering samurai. The plot seems pretty good but there was just not a lot going on. I would have like to see more depth in the plot. Its an enjoyable story but not exactly memorable.

The visuals of the battle are where this anime really excels. The action sequences are good and there is plenty of gore and violence to go around. This movie came out in 2007 but has the look of a late 90’s or early 2000's anime. It’s not bad though. The action scenes are really creative and the different styles of fighting that are in this movie keep things fresh.

Overall this is a decent package and one that is worth watching. It doesn't match up to other sword animes like Rurouni Kenshin(Samurai X) or Bleach, but it definitely stands up to be counted. It is worth a watch. So if you’re into sword and action anime then this should keep you entertained for the hour and forty minutes that this flick runs.

Grade: B-

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